A composition for the treatment and care of hair and scalp, particularly for the treatment of itching, with additional moisturizing and hypoallergenic potential, providing the hair with shine and condition, comprises an aqueous-alcoholic or alcoholic extract of oat seed (Avena sativa), particularly oatmeal,...http://www.google.com/patents/US5716605?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5716605 - Composition for treatment and care of hair and scalp

A composition for the treatment and care of hair and scalp, particularly for the treatment of itching, with additional moisturizing and hypoallergenic potential, providing the hair with shine and condition, comprises an aqueous-alcoholic or alcoholic extract of oat seed (Avena sativa), particularly oatmeal, preferably in combination with hydroxycarboxylic acids.

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Claims(10)

We claim:

1. A method for reducing itching potential of the scalp comprising the step of topically applying to the hair and scalp a composition comprising an alcoholic or aqueous-alcoholic extract of oat seeds or oatmeal (Avena sativa).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the oat seed or oatmeal extract comprises about 0.001% to about 10% by weight of the total composition, calculated according to the weight of the dry residue of the extract.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the oat seed or oatmeal extract comprises about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of the total composition, calculated according to the weight of the dry residue of the extract.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the oat seed or oatmeal extract comprises about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of the total composition, calculated according to the weight of the dry residue of the extract.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extract is a water/polyalcohol oat seed or oatmeal extract.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the extract is a butyleneglycol and/or propyleneglycol/water oat seed or oatmeal extract.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises one or more hydrocycarboxylie acids or the water-soluble salts thereof.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the composition comprises about 0.05% to about 5% by weight of the total composition, of at least one hydrocarboxylic acid or water soluble salt thereof selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, salicylic acid, glyoxylic and glycolic acid.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the composition is characterized by an acidic pH-value.

10. A method for reducing itching potential of the scalp comprising the step of topically applying a composition comprising an alcoholic or aqueous/polyalcohol extract of oat seeds or oatmeal (Avena sativa) to the hair and scalp.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention comprises a composition for the treatment and care of hair and scalp having particularly a reduced itching potential, improved moisturizing and hypoallergenic properties and providing a shining and conditioning action to the hair.

It has been found that a composition combining these properties may be obtained by adding an alcoholic or aqueous alcoholic extract of oat seed as an active ingredient to the usual carrier materials for hair products.

The use of oatmeal in cosmetic compositions is principally already known, cf., e.g., European Patent Applications Nos. 619 950 and 620 979. In these publications, special proportions or mixtures thereof with a defined content of proteins, carbohydrates and fat are used.

A survey on the use of oatmeal in cosmetic compositions is given in an article by D. Paton et al. in "Cosmetics and Toiletries", Vol. 110 (March 1995), pp. 63 to 64, 66, 68, 70.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Based on this state of the art, it has now surprisingly been found that compositions for the treatment and care of hair and scalp with improved properties may be obtained, if an alcoholic or aqueous-alcoholic extract of oat seed or oatmeal is added to such compositions. Preferably the extracts are prepared from the fruit of oats of the species Avena sativa.

The oat seed or meal extract used according to the invention has preferably a dry residue of about 0.5% to about 10%, more preferred about 1% to about 5%, particularly about 2% to about 4% by wt., calculated to the total extract.

Alcohols, preferably polyalcohols, particularly propyleneglycol such as 1,3-propyleneglycol and butyleneglycol, especially 1,3-butyleneglycol, alone or preferably in admixture with water, are used as solvents. The proportion of water to alcohol is between about 3:1 to 1:5, preferably 2:1 to 1:2, particularly about 1:1.

The following example describes the production of an extract which may be used according to the invention:

900 g of dried oat seeds (Avena sativa Linne (Gramineae)) were subdivided into six portions of equal weight. The first portion was extracted with 200 g 1,3-butyleneglycol at 70° C. for 8 hours. The second portion was extracted with the extract thus obtained. This procedure was continued until the six portions were extracted in six steps whereby the extracts obtained previously were used as the solvent for the subsequent step. The extract obtained finally is a light to medium yellow liquid of characteristic odor and has the following properties after optional dilution with water:

The proportion of the oat seed or oatmeal extract in the compositions according to the invention may be from 0.001% to 10%, especially between 0.05% to 10% by wt., calculated to the dry residue of the extract, preferably about 0.1% to 5% by wt., particularly 0.25% to about 2.5% by wt., wherein a proportion between 0.5% and 1.5% by wt. is particularly advantageous.

The compositions according to the invention may be presented in any form of application, e.g. as solutions, emulsions, dispersions, gels, aerosol foams etc., preferably as hair tonics or hair lotions.

The use in customary shampoos and rinses is also possible. The pH-value of the compositions according to the invention is preferably acidic, i.e. between about 2.5 and 7, more preferred between 3 and 6, particularly between about 4 and about 5.5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to a preferred embodiment, the compositions of the invention may preferably contain hydroxycarboxylic acids, particularly in a quantity between about 0.05% and 5% by wt., calculated to the total composition, preferably about 0.1% to 2.5% by wt., more preferred 0.25% to 1.0% by wt.

Suitable hydroxycarboxylic acids which may also be present as water-soluble salts are, in particular, citric acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, salicylic acid, glyoxylic acid, glycolic acid and, preferably, also mixtures of all these acids or part thereof.

The principal composition of products for the treatment and care of hair and scalp is basically well-known and described in various monographies; as an example, reference is made to the monography of K. Schrader, "Grundlagen und Rezepturen der Kosmetika", 2nd Ed., (Huthig-Verlag, Heidelberg, 1989), chapter "Haarkosmetika", pp. 661 to 782, particularly the sections on shampoos and hair cleansing compositions (pp. 677-722), after treatments for the hair (pp. 722-737), as well as hair oils and hair tonics (pp. 760-771). The compositions and ingredients described therein may also be used in the compositions according to the invention.

The following Example shall illustrate the production of a composition according to the invention.